Cotton-chopper.



Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. W. NOBLE.

COTTON OHOPPER.

APPLIoATloN FILED JAN. s, 190s.

J. W. NOBLE.

COTTON OHOPPER.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN; s. 1908.

1,054,787., Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

J. W. NOBLE.

COTTON GHOPPER. APPLIoATIoN I'ILBD JAN. s, 1908.

1,054,787. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. W. NOBLE.

COTTON SHOPPER. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. s. 190s.

1,054,787. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

4 SHBBTS-SHEET 4.

%zmj f dm,

To all whom t may concern.'

JOHN-W. N OBL, 0F ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

` COTTON-GHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedyMar'. 4, 1913.

Application filed January 6, 1908. I Serial No. 409,468.

Be it known that I, JOHN W. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Anniston, county of Calhoun, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful AImprovements in Cotton-Choppers, of which the following is aspecilcation The invention relates to. cotton-choppers and seeks to provide a simple and-effective consti-notion provided with variable cutter mechanism whereby the plants may be left at different distances apart in accordance with the varying conditions of the soil.

Further objects of the invention are to provide universal swivel connections and driving mechanism whereby the cottonchopping knives and cultivating devices may be swung bothlaterally and vertically with respect to the traction wheels -so that they may be kept accurately in lineover the rows of plants even though the team may not be exactly in line.

The invention also seeks to provide means for automatically throwing the driving mechanism into and out of o eration asthe operating devices are raise and lowered, and to ,provide mea-ns for automatically locking the operating devices in raised position,|together with devices for automatically releasing said locking means.

lll ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, 'combinations and ,arrangements ofl parts, hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the. appended claims. '4

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved cottonhopper, Fig. 2 is a View in elevation wit parts shown in sections onrthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 2a and 2b are detail sections on lines 2- a and 2"-2b of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 `is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;'Fig. 4 is a crosssection on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail viewsof the rotary cutter and knives therefor with modifications.

The traction wheels 10 of the machine are mounted upon the ends of an axle 11 that is journaled in suitable bearings fixed to the side-bars 12. These side-bars, together with a pair of connecting cross-bars 13 and 14, form a wheel truck which is preferably. provided with a pole 15 and to which the team is connected in any suitable manner. The traction wheels 10 are preferably eased '.tend to force the clutch sleeves 16 outwardly 'into engagement w loosely mounted on the axle 11 and are arranged to be connected thereto by a suitf able clutch' mechanism. In the'form illustrated, the hubs of the wheels are provided on their `inner ends` with clutch teeth 16 which are arranged to be engaged by the corresponding teeth of Aa pair. of clutch sleeves 17 that are keyed to and slidably mounted upon the ends of the axle 11. To the rear ends Aof each of the side-bars 12 of the truck is secured a pair of upwardly projecting arms 18 bet-Ween which are jour'- naled a pair of bell-cranks 19. Each bellcrank has a. pair of depending arms 2O pro-y videdwithpins 21 that engage a groove in the adjacent clutch sleeve 17.,\ Each bellcrank4 is also provided with an inwardly projecting' varm 22 and these arms are enbya vpair 'of fiat springs 23 which `ith the hubs of the traction wheels. l i

A rectangular frame 24 is provided with hubs or bearings 25 on its side portions through which the wheel axle 11' extends so that the frame is'swiveled to swing ppon the axle. A yoke 26 is connected .to the upper andlower portions ofthe frame 24'by the pivot bolts `or studs 27 and 28. The upper arm-of the yoke 26 extends beneath the upper portion of the rectangular frame 24 and engages an enlarged portion on the lower end of the bolt or stud 27. The lower arm of theyoke extends within a socket 29 on the lower portion of the rect-an ular frame 24 and engages' the lower -re ucedI end of the pivot bolt or stud 28. Thewalls of the socket 29 (see Fig. 2") are providedy with outwardly Haring or inclined portions v29'i which limit the lateral swing of the yoke 26 relatively to the frame 24. An operating shaft 30 is journaled at its forward end inthe yoke 26 andextends longitudinally and rearwardly therefrom, and. is provided loo at its rear end with a rotary chopping-cutterA 31. The shaft is preferably surrounded by a tubular sleeve 32 which is fixed at its forward end to the yoke 26 by a set nut 33 (see Fig. 1). At its rear end the sleeve 33 is connected to a' collar 34 that abuts against the hub of the rotary cutter 31.' A beveled gear 35 is fixed to the forward end of the shaft- 30 and a beveled gear 36 is vfixed to the axle 11 adjacent one side portion of the frame 24. The beveled gear 35 meshes with 'a beveled gear 37 and the gear 36 meshes with a beveled gear 3S. Gears 37 and 38 are connected togetherand are journaled upon the upper end of the vertical stud 28 that is carrled by the frame `24.

A supportin sleeve 39 is swiveled upon the rear end o the tubular sleeve '32 which extends about the operating shaft 30. The sleeve 39 is held in place between the collar 34-and a collar 40 that is fixed to the tubular sleeve 32 by a set screw 41. The supporting sleeve 39 is provided with a depending portion 42 at its rear end which is secured to the front side of a transverse frame 43. This frame as shown is preferably made of a channel bar'bent to an oval form. A pair of uprights 44 are fixed at their lower ends to the ends of the transverse frame and are upwardly and inwardly inclined therefrom. The upper ends of the uprights are connected by across channel bar 45 and a cross rod 46., Inclined brace bars 47 extend upwardly from the side portions of the frame 43 to the uprights 44. The rear por l tion of .the transverse frame 43 is provided with a pair of rearwardly projecting brackets 48 to which a pair of guiding and con- A ;trolling handles 49 are connected. These handles are connected `by a transverse brace bar 50 also preferablybraced by a pair of straps 51 that are secured to the upper portions of the handles and extend forwardly over the brace bar 45 and then downwardly and inwardly to a lug 52 on the forward end of the supporting sleeve 39. These 85 straps are bolted or riveted to the cross-bar 45 and to the lug 52. A pair of inclined bracing studs 53 also extend between the forward portion of the sleeve 39 andthe front portion of the transverse frame 43.

The transverse frame is provided with a.

series of cultivating devices preferably in the form of cultivator teeth 54 that are secured to the front and rear portions of the frame by U-bolts 55. The frame also carries a pair of scraper blades 56 of suitable form each of which is supported upon the lower ends of a pair of bolts 57. One bolt l57 ofveach pair extends through the rear portion of the frame 43 and the other bolt of the pair extends through a segmental slot in one of the brackets 48. By adjusting the nuts 58 on the bolts 57, the height and angle of the Scrapers can be adjusted as desired. A cross-shaft 60 is journaled in a pair of brackets 61 fixed to the front bar of the cross-frame '43. A air of forwardly projecting arms 62l are Xedtothe shaft 60 and carry a pair of wheels 63. The contact of these wheels with the vground determines 6 the working depth of the. rotary cutter 31 and of the cultivating devices and Scrapers carried by the cross frame 43. The crossshaft 60 is preferably adjustable in posit-ion by means of a lever 64 secured to one 65 end thereto and provided with a spring dog arranged to engage a notched segment '66 that is fixed to one of the handle bars -49 and to one of t-he uprights 44. The dog 65 the tubular sleeve 32 so that the'cultivating devices and Scrapers carried by the frame will properly conform to the slope of the ground. The extent of this oscillating movement ofthe frame 43 is preferably limited by a lug 68 on the forward end of the sleeve 39 which sets within a segmental slot 69 in the collar 40 (see Fig. 2b.).

`The rectangular frame 24 that is horizontally swiveled on the axle 11, and the yoke 26 which is vertically swiveled to the frame 24 form a universal connection between the axle and the operating shaft which carries the ground tools so that the ground tools may be shifted in vertical direction to and from working position, and may also be swung laterally relatively to the traction wheels 10 and axle 11. The operator may, therefore, by means of the handles 49 raise and lower the ground tools, and also guide them in line with the rows-of plants, even thoughtlie team may t-urn slightly to one side or the other and not keep in a direct line.

The drive gearin gears 35, 36, 37 an 38 is such as to properly connect the axle operating shaft in all of the different relative positions thereof. This drive gearing isautomatically thrown into and out of operation as the parts are raised and lowered by a pair ofl inclined cam bars 70 that are fixed to the upper side port-ions of the rectangular frame 24. and which are arranged to engage rollers 71 on the ends of the arm 22 of the bell-cranks 19. By this means the clutch sleeves 17 are disengaged from the hubs of the traction wheels when the working parts of the machine are raised, so that the traction wheels alone revolve in turning corners or the like at the ends of the field. Moreover the working parts may he easily raised by the operator when desired, to skip a portion of the rowwhere the pla-nts are thin.

A pair of lift-springs 72 are connected at their rear ends to the upper side portions of the frame 24 and at their-forward ends to lugs 73 fixed to the forward end of the side-bars 12, and these springs counterbalance the working parts'of the machineso that they may be easily raised and lowered by the operator. v

The working' parts ot'- t-h'e machine are antomatically locked in elevated position by formed of the beveled 4a latch-bar 75 that is pivoted at its rear end this latch extends into a box 77 that is fixed tot-he cross-bar 14 ofthe truck. A coiled spring 78 connected to t-he latch holds it in engagement vwith a cross stud 79 at the rear side of the box 77 and, when the working parts are raised a notch 80 on the under side of the latch engages the cross-stud 79 and locks the parts automatically in raised position. To automatically disengage the latch it is provided on its forward end with a beveled portion" 81 which is arranged to engage the inner beveled end of a springheld cro-ss-bolt 82 at the forward side of the bo-x 77. To disengage the latch the operator lifts the 'working parts slightly above their normal raised position and, whenA this is done the inclined rear portion 80d of the notch 80 rides up on the stud 79 so as to lift the latch 75 until the spring-bolt 82 -snaps under it and holds it lifted. The parts may then be lowered to working position since the notch 80 will not be engaged with the stud 79.v

The cutting disk 31 shown in Figs. 1, 9. and 4 is provided with a series of knives 83 formed from bars that are square in section and that are removably and interchangeably7 held in place within suitable V-shaped seats in the disk by a series of U-bolts 84. The outer ends of these knives are curved and provided with cutting edges which are preff enbly arranged at an incline to the plane of rotation of the cutter so that they will operate with a draw cu't. Asindicated in Fig. 4, these knives are arranged in sets with blank spaces between the. sets so that in chopping out the row, plants will be left at a certain predetermined distance apart, and

bly having the knives "removably and "interc a ngeably mounted on the cutting disk they may be arranged in two or more sets for` leaving the plants at different distances apart in accordance with the varyijngconditions of the soil. For example, if tlie -cutting disky is provided with eighteen teeth, the gearing is preferably set so that the planter will travel ahead thirty-six inches while the cutting disk is making one revolution. If,

therefore, there are 4two sets of teeth withtwo blank spaces on the cutting disk, plants will be left -everyeightecn inches. By using three sets of teeth and three'blank spaces plants will be left every twelveV inches., .By providing the cutting disk with twenty-four knives and arranging the' "gearing so that the machine will travel ahead forty inches for each revolution c-f the cutter, plants may be left, twenty inches apart byy providing two sets of knives, thirteenv and. one-third inches apart by providing three sets of knives and about six and a half inches apart by providing foursets of knives. In this' knife 85 that vis formed of a piece of flat metal, the end of which is curved and provided with an inclined cutting edge, as indicated in Fig. 6. These knives are provided at their inner ends with notches 86 in their side edges so that they may be readv.ily connected by `bolts 87 to a suitable disk 88. They may be readily removed and changed or interchanged to provide two or more sets of knives for leaving the plants at different distances' apart as desired. Pieces 89 having notches in their ends similar to those on the knives, may be arranged in the blank spaces.

Instead of having the knivesl detachably. and interchangeably mounted upon the cutting disk, a series of cut-ting disks may be detachably and interchangeably mounted upon the end of the operating shaft 30, such a disk as illustrated at 90 in Fig. 7. These disks could be provided with differently arranged sets of teeth which would be adapted to chop out the rows, leaving plants at different distances apart in accordance with the varying conditions of the soil.

The driving lines from the team extend back over the machine and are passed between the cross bars 45 and 46 (see Fig. 4), so that they will be held out of the path ot' the cutting knives.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention, as defined in the claims.

Having described my invention', what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is :4-

1. In a cotton chopper, the combination with the axle and traction wheels thereon, a longitudinal operating shaft extendingv rearwardly from said axlea universal coupling connecting said shaft and' said axle. a cutter disk xed to the rear end of said shaft andhaving a Series of removable knives arranged in sets with blank spaces between lthe sets, said shaft and the cutter thereon being free to swing laterally and vertically, drive gearing connect-ing said axle and said shaft, a lsupporting member swiveled upon the rear 'end of said shaft and means carried thereby for guiding said a cutter and `for regulating the working depth thereof', substantially as described.

2. In cotton choppers', the combination with an axle, and traction wheels thereon, a coupling member journaled on said axle, a yoke vertically pivoted to said coupling member, a rearwardly extending operating sha-ft journaled at its forward end in said yoke, a cutter mounted on the rear end of A .with a truck and a wheel axle journaled in said truck, of a pair of' traction wheels loosely mounted on said axle, a-longitudi nally extending operating shaft, a universal connection between the forward end of said operating shaft and said wheel axle, a cutter mounted upon the rear end of said shaft, drive gearing for connecting said wheel axle and said shaft in all of itsgdiili'erent `positions,- a pair of sliding clutch sleeves on said axle for connecting the same to said traction wheels, a pair of Shifters for said clutch sleeves pivotally mounted on said truck, and

a pair of ca m devices connected. to and m 0v i ing with sald unlversal connection for shlfting said clutch sleeves 'into and out of operation as the shaft and cutter are moved to and from working position. l

4. In cotton-choppers, the combination of a, truck and a wheel axle .journaled therein,

of a pair of traction wheels loosely mounted on said axle, a longitudinally extending op- A -gearing between said axle and said shaft,

erating shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on said' shaft, said shaft and cutter being shiftable to and. -from working position, drive clutch mechanism for connecting. said axle and said traction wheels, shifting meansfor said clutch mechanism mounted on said truck, and cam devicesA connected to and moved with said' shaft arranged tio-operate said clutch-shifting'means when'said shaft and cutter are moved to and from working position.- 1

5.' In cotton-choppers, the combmatlon with the wheel axle and the `traction wheels mounted, thereon,4 of a -long ritudinally extending operating'shaft, a rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a universal connection between the forward end of said shaft and, said wheel axle, whereby said shaftl and cutter'may be raised and lowered and swung in lateral direction', two pairs of beveled gears fo'r connecting said axle and said shaft in all of the different relative positions thereof, and means for throwing said gears into and out o'f operation.

6. Inv cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a longitudinally extending operatingI shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on the rear end of said shaft, a universal coupling connecting said shaft at lits forwardend to said axle whereby said shaft is shift-able to and from working position and laterally from side to side, drive gearing between said axle and said shaft, and a wheel frame swiveled -uponthe rear end of said shaft and laterally' and vert-ically movable therewith and arranged to hold said cutter in working position.

7. In 4cotton choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of an operating shaft, a rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said operating sh'a'ft, said shaft be'ng connected at its forward end to said whee axle to shift vertically to Iand ifrom working position, drive gearing between said axle and saidshaft, and a supporting frame for holding said cutter in working position Aswiveled to the rear end of said shaft.

' 8. In cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a longitudinally extending operating shaft, a rotary cutter xed to the rear end of'said shaft, universal connectionsv between the forward end of said shaft and said wheel axle permitting the shift of said shaft and cutter vertically to and from working position and laterally from side to side,.drive gears between said shaft and said axle, a frame'swiveled upon the rear end of said-shaft for holding said cutter Ain working. position, anda pair of controlling handles secured to the frame.

9. In cotton-choppers, the combination with thel wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a longitudinally ex tending operating shaft, a rotary cutter fixed 'to the rear end of said shaft, universal connections between the forward end of said shaftl and said wheel axle permitting the shift of the shaft fand vcutter to andy from working position and laterally from side 'to side, drive gearing between` said axle and said shaft, a frame swiveled upon the'rear end of said shaft and a pair of wheels mounted on saidframe for holding the cutter in proper working position, said wheels being adjustable to vary the working position `of said cutter. V n A 10. In cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a longitudinally extending operating shat, a rotary cut-ter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a universal connection between the forward end of said shaft and said wheel axle, drive gearing between said axle. and said shaft a wheeledv frame swiveledupon therear and of said shaft, 'and cultivating teeth and Scrapers carried by said frame. j

11. In cot-ton-choppers, the,l combination withA the wheel axle and the tractiony wheels mounted thereon, of an operating shaft extending rearwardly from said axle, a rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a universal connection between the forward on `said frame.

tending operating shaft, a rotary .cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a unlvemal connection between the forward end of said shaft and said wheel axle, two pairs of beveled gearsV connecting said axle and said shaft, a transverse frame jou-rnaled upon the `rear end of said sha-ft, a pair oflcontrolling handles fixed to said frame, cultivating devices carried by said frame, a pair of wheels mounted on said frame, and means on said frame 'for adjusting the height vof said wheels to vary the working position of said cultivating devices and said cutter.

13. In cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a frame swiveled upon said axle, a .yoke vertically pivoted to said frame, an operating shaft journaled at-its forward end insaid yoke, a rotary cutter fixed to said shaft, beveled gears fixedv respectively to the forward end of said shaft and to said axle, an intermediate connecting gearing between said beveled gears mounted 14. In cotton choppers, the combination with thewheel axl'eandthe traction wheels mounted thereon, of a rectangular frame swiveled on said axle, a yoke vertically swiveled to the upper and lower portions of said frame, an operating shaft journaled at its forward end in said yoke, a rotary cutter mounted onthe rear end of said shaft, beveled gears fixed respectively to the forward end of said operating shaft and to said axle, a Apair of intermediate beveled gears and a vertical stud fixed to said frame whereon said intermediate beveled gears are mounted.

15. In cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the' traction Wheels mounted thereon, of a rearwardly extending operating shaft connected at its forward end to said axle to "shift vertically to and from working position, drive gearing between said shaft and said axle, a rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a catch device for holding said operating shaft and cutter in its raised position,` and means for auto- `maticallv disvenga ing said catch device.

16. In 'cotton-c oppers, the combination with the lwheel axle and the traction wheels mounted thereon, of a longitudinally ex- .tending operating shaft connected at its forward end to said axle t'o shift vertically to and from working position, a rotary cutter on the rear end` of said shaft, a supporting frame having a pair of guidinghandles at the rear end of said shaft, an automatically acting spring-latchr for holdingsaid shaft and cutter in raised position and means for automatically disengaging'sai'd latch when shaft and cutter are lifted lslightly above the normal raised position.

17. In cotton-choppers,'the combination of a truck, a wheel axle journaled therein, traction wheels mounted onA said axle, a rearwardly extending operating shaft connected at its forward end to said axle to shift vertically to and from working position, drive gearing between said axle and said shaft, a rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a wheeled frame at the rear end of said shaft for holding said cutter in working position, said frame having a pair of guiding and controlling handles, a spring-latch connected to the forward end of said shaft, av stud on' said truck with which said latch automatically engages when the shaft and cutter are raised to hold the same in raised position, and a springtrip for automatically disengaging said latch from' said stud when the shaft and cutter are Ilifted slightly above .the normal raised position.

18. In cotton-choppers, the combination with a truck, of an axle journaled in said truck, traction wheels loosely mounted on said axle, a rearwardly extending operating shaft, a universal connection lbetweensaid operatingshaft and said axle, beveled gearing arranged to connect said shaft and axlel in all of the different relative positions thereof, a 'rotary cutter fixed to the rear end of said shaft, a wheeled frame swiveled to the rear end of said shaft for supporting said cutter in working position, said frame having a pair of guiding and controlling handles, clutch mechanism for connecting said traction wheels -and said axle, means for shifting said clutch mechanism automatically into and out of operation as said shaft and cutter are shifted to.

and from working position, an automatically-acting catch for holding said shaft and cutter in raised position, and means for automatically disengaging said catch.

19. In cotton-choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and with thetraction wheels mounted thereon, of clutch mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said traction wheels and said axle, a rectangular frame swiveled on said axle, a yoke vertically swiveled to the upper and lower portion of said rectangular frame, a longitudinally extending operating shaft journaled at its forward end in said yoke, beveled gears fixed to the forward end of said shaft and to said axle, intermediate beveled gears mounted on said rectangular frame, a rotary cul-ter fixed to the rear end of said shaft. a tubular sleeve surrounding said shaft and fixed at its forward end'to said yoke, a transverse frame swiveled upon the rear end of said sleeve, said frame haying'a pair of operating and guiding handles, and '.-cultivating devices vand a pair of supportin Wheels mountedon said frame.

20. In cotton choppers, the combination with the wheel axle and the traction Wheels l thereon, of. a rearwardly extending operating shaft, a rotary cutter xed to the rear end of said shaft, universal connections between the forward end of said shaft and said wheel axle, permitting the shift of said shaft and said Vcutter vertically and laterally, drive gears connecting said shaft and sald axle, a frame having a limited swiveled movement upon the rear "end .of said shaft, means on said frame for holding said cutter in working position, and means connected to said frame for guiding said cutter, substantially as described.

s 21. In. cotton' choppers, the combination withl the wheel axle and traction wheels thereon, of a frame journaled on said axle, a yoke vertically swiveled on said frame, a rearwardly extending sleeve fixed to said yoke, a shaft journaled within said sleeve, two pairs of beveled gears connecting said axle and'said shaft, a rotary cutter fixed t0 the rear end ofsaid shaft and la frame mounted on the rear end of said sleeve and having guiding and controlling means fixed thereto, substantially as described.

, JoHx w. NOBLE l/Vitnesses:

J. J WILLErr, R. S. THORNBERRXZI 

